Get Reel: Joke's on Jerry with female comedians

Sunday

Jul 14, 2013 at 12:01 AMJul 14, 2013 at 2:15 PM

After laughing my derrière off while watching "The Heat," I feel now would be a good time to address Jerry Lewis’ recent disparaging of female comedians. In case you missed his comments at the Cannes Film Festival this year, Lewis said he didn’t have any favorite female comedians. One can only hope that the ghost of Lucille Ball haunts his mansion while pouring Vitameatavegamin all over the furniture. But Lewis was just warming up.

Bob Tremblay/DAILY NEWS STAFF

After laughing my derrière off while watching "The Heat," I feel now would be a good time to address Jerry Lewis’ recent disparaging of female comedians.

In case you missed his comments at the Cannes Film Festival this year, Lewis said he didn’t have any favorite female comedians. One can only hope that the ghost of Lucille Ball haunts his mansion while pouring Vitameatavegamin all over the furniture. But Lewis was just warming up.

"Trying to capture the basis of what broad comedy is, I can't see women doing that," he said. "I cannot sit and watch a lady diminish her qualities to the lowest common denominator. I just cannot do that."

And this is from a man who based his entire career on appealing to the lowest common denominator. Lewis was basically the Adam Sandler of the 1960s. One might be tempted to say he played idiots for idiots. His best film is actually one where he doesn’t play a buffoon but a supercilious talk show host in "The King of Comedy." Like Sandler, he does have talent.

After hearing the aforementioned comment, you almost wonder if Lewis has ever even seen a woman in a comedy before. Or perhaps he just has an odd sense of humor.

To help Mr. Lewis out, I am going to recommend 10 films - well, more like a grouping of films - where women tickle the humerus either in starring or supporting roles. That hundreds of these films exist is a sign that Lewis' comments are about as valid as Enron stock. At Cannes, Lewis jokingly listed Cary Grant as one of his favorite female comedians. Perhaps he missed his co-star Katharine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story" and "Bringing Up Baby" or his co-star Rosalind Russell in "His Girl Friday." Perhaps he never saw a film with Jean Harlow, Mae West, Myrna Loy, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Holliday, Carole Lombard, Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin, Jennifer Coolidge, Anna Faris, Amy Poehler or Whoopi Goldberg.

I could go on and on, but let’s cut to the chase and get to my 10 faves in no particular order beginning in the 1970s.

1. For starters, I’m going to combine a trio of films into one as they all showcase the comedic genius of Madeline Kahn. They are "What’s Up Doc?," "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein." Of the three, Kahn’s riff on Marlene Dietrich in "Blazing Saddles" rates as particularly priceless. By the way, Barbra Streisand isn’t exactly chopped liver in "What’s Up Doc?" either.

2. For another triple play, let’s put together "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You’ve Got Mail" to demonstrate that Meg Ryan was a master of the romantic comedy. And the fake orgasm.

3. For yet another trio con brio in the romcom genre, we submit "Pretty Woman," "My Best Friend’s Wedding" and "Notting Hill," all starring Julia Roberts in roles where she takes to heart the Canadian Mountie adage of always getting her man. She also must have been familiar with Tina Turner’s introduction to "Proud Mary." "We never ever do nothing nice and easy," Turner growls. "We always do it nice and rough."

4. And while we’re on threes to please, "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club" and "Pretty in Pink" prove that Molly Ringwald could transform teen angst into comic gold.

5. Continuing on the youth express, Reese Witherspoon certainly earned comic kudos for the "Legally Blonde" films, but you could argue her funniest movie is "Election." Her scenes with Matthew Broderick turn the student-teacher dynamic into comedy dynamite.

6. Woody Allen has made a career of casting women in comic roles, none better than his choice of Diane Keaton for "Annie Hall." Keaton won an Oscar for that one, Jerry. Other Oscar-winning comedians in his films include Mira Sorvino and Dianne Wiest.

7. News flash. There have been female buddy movies made before Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy teamed up in "The Heat." Most people cite "Thelma & Louise" with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis, but there’s also "Desperately Seeking Susan" with Rosanna Arquette and Madonna, and "Ghost World" with Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson. My personal favorite pairing in this regard is Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow in "Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion." If there’s one lesson to be learned from this film, it’s this: Don’t lie about inventing Post-Its. Janeane Garofalo, another comic stalwart, contributes mightily to the mirth here.

8. Rebel Wilson was very funny as Kristen Wiig’s obnoxious roommate in "Bridesmaids," but she’s hysterically funny as Fat Amy in "Pitch Perfect." Just as McCarthy stole the show in "Bridesmaids," Wilson pilfers the show in "Pitch Perfect." These two films prove that women can puke and defecate just as spectacularly as men. Broad enough comedy for you, Jerry?

9. And if those films don’t do rock your dinghy, may we suggest "Kick-Ass’ where Chloe Grace Moretz plays a foul-mouthed, ruthless assassin… at the charming age of 11.

10. Finally, no article on female comedians of recent vintage would be complete without mentioning Tina Fey, who penned the wickedly funny "Mean Girls." The film starred Lindsay Lohan who, before her personal life became a nonstop train wreck, was a gifted comic actress as she demonstrated here and in the remake of "Freaky Friday."

There are no doubt enough omissions in this article to fill a novel, which only further proves that Mr. Lewis may want to reassess his opinion of female comedians. Then again, I don’t think they’re overly concerned. Just ask Fey.

"Whenever someone says to me, 'Jerry Lewis says women aren't funny,' or 'Christopher Hitchens says women aren't funny' or 'Rick Fenderman says women aren't funny,’ do you have anything to say to that?' Yes. We don't (naughty word) care if you like it," Fey said. "I don't say it out loud, of course, because Jerry Lewis is a great philanthropist, Hitchens is very sick and the third guy I made up."

A song of note

It’s now time for TRIVIA.

Last month’s tester: What do "The Aviator" and "The Life of Pi" have in common? Clue: It's an award distinction that before "The Aviator" last took place in 1981 or 1977.

Answer: Both films won more Oscars than the Best Picture winner. The last time this happened before "Aviator" was either in 1981 ("Raiders of the Lost Ark") or 1977 ("Star Wars"), depending on whether one counts the Special Achievement Award that "Raiders" received for its sound effects editing as a true win.

Derek Thomas of Marlborough was the first and only reader to answer the question correctly.

This month’s tester: What song, written by a rock musician who performed at Woodstock, is sung to the title character of a 1980s movie? Name the song, musician and movie. Clue: The actor who sings the song in the movie is an Oscar winner.

The first reader to answer the question correctly will receive a prize from C. Wonder, the Nantucket store which has a new shop at Derby Street Shoppes in Hingham.

Trivia enthusiasts can call me at 508-626-4409 or email me at rtremblay@wickedlocal.com. Make sure you leave your name, address and phone number on my message machine or email so I can contact you if you answered the question correctly. The address is needed so winners can be mailed their prize. Callers should spell out their names slowly and clearly so their names will be spelled correctly in the column.